Captive cap for containers



Dec. 28, 1965 A, UR 3,225,971

CAPTIVE CAP FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 5, 1964 IN VEN TOR.

ALFRED CURC! United S ates art 3,225,971 CAPTIVE CA1 FOR CONTAINERSAlfred Curci, 183 London Drive, Hamden, Conn. Filed June 3, 1964, Ser.No. 372,151 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-515) This invention relates to caps orclosures for collapsible tubes or containers and provides in particulara captive cap for collapsible tubes designed to contain toothpaste orlike substance.

A classic example of a near perfect sealing device for such containersis the well-known detachable screw-type cap. Although these priordetachable caps are simple, sanitary, effective and inexpensive toproduce, they have in common one major drawbackthese prior caps must beseparated from the container to dispense the contents thereof, and as aresult, these unattached caps may be easily lost or misplaced.

Heretofore, a number of captive caps have been designed for collapsiblecontainers but for one reason or another have proved objectionable. Forexample, many of these prior devices are unsanitary because thedischarge orifice thereof is not completely closed thereby exposing tocontamination a portion of the tubes contents; others are mechanicallycomplicated creating a difficult assembly problem resulting in a devicetoo expensive for production; still others are too bulky, ormechanically unreliable. The aforementioned objectionable features haverendered such prior devices impractical so that none has beencommercially successful, especially for use in combination with thecollapsible tube type of container.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide asimple captive cap for containers which need not be completely removedtherefrom, but remains 'hingedly attached to the container Whiledispensing the contents thereof, and in addition the present deviceretains the desirable characteristics of the presently used detachablescrew-type closure cap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a captive cap thathas no moving parts or members attached thereto extending outwardlybeyond the body of the cap and therefore creates no assembly problem.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a captive capthat is sanitary, simple and relatively inexpensive to mass produce.

Another object is to provide a captive cap that is as adaptable forattachment to the container as the presently used detachable screw-typesealing cap.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one form of the captiveclosure cap shown secured in sealing position on the neck of afragmentarily illustrated container.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the cap rotated 90 degrees from theview of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing a modification according to theinvention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrows on line 4-4 of FIG3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view with parts broken away showinginterlocking means to prevent unwarranted separation of the cap from thecontainer when the cap is in the laterally swung open position.

FIG. 6 is a view with parts broken away showing means to axially movethe cap relative to the container comprising a bayonet-typeinterengagement.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view showing another modification according tothe invention.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the tube or container, which maybe constructed from any suitable material, is designated generally at 10and has end wall 11,

extending therefrom is a neck part, generally indicated at 12, which isprovided with axial discharge orifice 14. Neck and cap parts areprovide-d with cooperating threads 16 and 18, respectively, whereby capmay be screwed into or from sealing engagement with neck orifice 14.However, if desired, rotary-axial movement of the cap into or fromsealing engagement with neck part may be accomplished by a bayonet-typeinterengagement therebetween, such as shown in FIG. 6, which isself-explanatory and will not be described, except to mention, that thebayonet grooves 16, two of which are provided, have helical branches andcontinuing axial branches with which cooperate follower pins 36 and 37on the depending arms 34 and 35 of the cap (only one shown).

As shown in the drawings, neck 12 is provided with an annular ring orcollar generally indicated at 23 which preferably is formed integralwith or fixed on neck part 12, however, if desired, collar 23 mayembrace neck so as to be movable thereon. Collar 23 is provided with atleast two similar diametrically opposite downwardly opening longitudinalslots or grooves 24, four being shown in the drawings, although anynumber of grooves may be provided consistent with the availableperipheral area of collar 23. As viewed in the drawings, the upper endof collar 23 is sloped outwardly and downwardly forming cam surfaces 25and the lower edge of collar 23 provides a downwardly facing shoulder26. Grooves 24, cam 25 and shoulder 26 of the collar 23 cooperate withmembers on cap 20 in a manner that will appear subsequently.

The closure cap, generally indicated at 20, may be moulded from asuitable plastic, and as viewed in the drawings, the cap has end wall 30provided with a depending skirt or annular wall 31. Preferablyintegrally formed with the cap are similar diametrically oppositedepending arms 34 and 35, the free ends thereof being provided withinwardly facing projections or pins 36 and 37 adapted for floatingengagement within grooves 24 for both a limited longitudinal movementand pivotal support captively therein, as will appear clearly later. Thecap arms 34 and 35 are formed appropriately having sufficient body to berigid and yet with sufficient elasticity to permit fiexure under appliedforce, additionally, the arms are biased slightly inwardly toward eachother so that the inner edge surfaces of pins 36 and 37 resiliently areurged into frictional engagement with the peripheral neck wall 13 toretain cap 20 stably in any of its unscrewed positions.

When the closure cap initially is to be secured or mounted onto the neckpart, the cap is positioned with its depending arms 34 and 35 straddlingneck 12, and as the cap is moved axially relative to the neck, the armpins 36 and 37 engage neck cam surface 25 and are cammed outwardly untilthey snap into position below the collar shoulder 26 whereby the cap iscaptive permanently on said neck 12 with the cooperating startingthreads of said cap and neck positioned in abutting relation so that thecap may be screwed onto the neck part into sealing engagement therewith.

Thereafter, when it is desired to dispense a portion of the tubescontents, the cap 20 is unscrewed from the tube neck 12 bringing the armpins 36 and 37 to a position immediately below collar shoulder 26, andif not already in alignment, a small turning movement of cap 20 relativeto the neck part brings pins 36 and 37 into registry with mating grooves24 so that on continued axial movement of the cap, the pins 36 and 37enter grooves 24 and are fioatable axially therein a limited distancewhich is determined by the length of the grooves 24. In the fullyextended position, as shown in full lines FIG. 2, the cap 20 is stoppedagainst further axial motion and separation thereof from the neck 12 ofthe container is avoided positively by abutting engagement of pins 36and 37 with shoulders 22 formed by the closed end of grooves 24-, and inwhich extended position, the annular wall 31 of the cap clears the upperextremity of the neck 12 whereby the cap is turnable about its pins 36and 37 from the extended position shown in full lines to the broken linepositions of FIG. 2, in which positions the cap 20 is out of alignmentwith the axial discharge orifice 14- of neck 12.

It Will be apparent that when the cap 20 is in the swung open positions,as seen in broken lines in FIG. 2, that it is possible unintentionallyto detach the cap from the neck part by moving the cap downwardly andthen transversely of the neck. To prevent unwarranted separation of thecap from the container any suitable means may be used, such as, the capmay be so proportioned relative to its coacting parts so as to provideresistance therebetween against unwarranted separation, or as shown inFIG. 5, groove 24 (only one is shown) has a constricted length at itsopen end leading into an enlarged circular portion 24a and the coactingarm pin 36 (only one is shown) is of elongated section permitting onlylongitudinal passage through the constricted groove length.

The drawings of the modifications shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7 are more orless self-explanatory and will be described only briefly and partsbasically similar to parts described previously are designated by thesame numeral with an added prime.

In FIG. 3 the modification shown has constructed from a suitablematerial, such as spring steel, a single arm 34 formed integral withannular split-ring 45 adapted to fixedly embrace a suitable annularrecess 46 on cap 20. The free end of arm 34 is provided with asubstantially U-shaped formation 36 arranged for engagement, on capunscrewing motion, with one of a plurality of coacting apertures 24' onannular collar 23'. On cap unscrewing motion the U-shaped formation 35is floatable into registry with coacting aperture 24 and the free end ofthe formation 36' passes through the aperture being pivotally andcaptively supported therein on turning movement of the cap to the fullline position of FIG. 3 in which the cap is out of alignment with theaxial discharge orifice 14 of neck 12.

In the modification shown in FIG. 7, split annular ring 45 preferably isconstructed from a suitable plastic being adapted to embrace freely thecap 20 by means of interlocking groove and ring formations 47 and 48,respectively, so that the cap body is freely rotatable relative to thering 45'. Arm 34 is formed integral with ring 45' being arranged forfloating engagement with coacting aperture 24' on collar 23. The freeend of arm 34 is provided with a resilient hook portion 36' adapted toyield when initially passing through coacting aperture 24 and to snapback to expanded condition below said ring aperture 24 to interlock thecap permanently on said neck 12. On unscrewing motion of the cap arm 36'is floatabl-e Within aperture 24' from the broken line position to thefull line position shown in FIG. 7 whereby the cap clears the neckextremity and may be turned about the axis of arm 36 out of alignmentwith the axial discharge orifice 14 of neck 12.

The invention is not limited to the particular structure shown anddescribed, but may be modified in various respects as will readily occurto those skilled in the art,

and exclusive use is contemplated of modifications that are embraced bythe scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing container, the combination of a threaded neck partwith an axial discharge orifice; a threaded cap part screwable onto andunscrewable from said neck part; tongue and groove formations on saidparts, respectively, arranged to be out of and in register with eachother on screwing motion of said cap part and on motion of the unscrewedcap part axially of said neck part, respectively, said formations whenregistering defining between said parts a pivot connection fioatableaxially of said neck part within limits at one end of which said cappart clears said neck part and is turnable out of and into alignmentwith said orifice; and means operative on turning motion of said cappart into and from alignment with said orifice to lock said formationsin register with each other, whereby said cap part is held permanentlycaptive on said neck part.

2. In a dispensing cotnainer, the combination of a neck having an opendischarge end and a peripheral shoulder spaced and facing away from saiddischarge end and being threaded between said shoulder and dischargeend, said neck also having between said shoulder and discharge endopposite, axially extending grooves open at one end to said shoulder andclosed at the other end; and a threaded cap screwable onto and from saidneck and having opposite pins engaging said shoulder when said neck isunthreaded from said cap but still within the confines thereof so as toarrest said cap on said neck against removal therefrom, with said pinsbeing registerable with said grooves on turning the unscrewed cap, andsaid pins being movable in said grooves in floating pivot fashion tosaid closed groove ends on motion of the unscrewed cap axially of saidneck into position in which it clears said neck for pivotal motion outof alignment with said discharge end, whereby said cap is heldpermanently captive on said neck.

3. The combination in a dispensing container as defined in claim 2, inwhich said grooves have at said open ends constricted lengths leading toenlarged circular lengths extending to said closed groove ends, withsaid pins being of elongated section for only longitudinal passagethrough said constricted groove lengths but for turning movement in saidcircular groove lengths.

4. The combination in a dispensing container as defined in claim 2, inwhich said shoulder is formed by an end surface of a collar formation onsaid neck, and said pins are carried by depending resilient arms on saidcap, with said collar formation being of cross-sectional shape to camsaid pins thereover for snap action into engagement with said shoulderon initially applying said cap onto said neck by mere axial motionthereunto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,605,058 11/1926Nickerson 222-558 X 2,262,257 11/ 1941 Shearing 222-550 X 2,588,2753/1952 Nadai 222-550 X 2,754,027 7/1956 Schulte 222550 X LOUIS J. DEMBO,Primary Examiner.

1. IN A DISPENSING CONTAINER, THE COMBINATION OF A THREADED NECK PARTWITH AN AXIAL DISCHARGE ORIFICE; A THREADED CAP PART SCREWABLE ONTO ANDUNSCREWABLE FROM SAID NECK PART; TONGUE AND GROOVE FORMATIONS ON SAIDPARTS, RESPECTIVELY, ARRANGED TO BE OUT OF AND IN REGISTER WITH EACHOTHER ONSCREWING MOTION OF SAID CAP PART AND ON MOTION OF THE UNSCREWEDCAP PAR TAXIALLY OF SAID NECK PART, RESPECTIVELY, SAID INFORMATIONS WHENREGISTERING DEFINING BETWEEN SAID PARTS A PIVOT CONNECTION FLOATABLEAXIALLY OF SAID NECK PART WITHIN LIMITS AT ONE END OF WHICH SAID CAPPART CLEARS SAID NECK PART AND IS TURNABLE OUT OF SAID INTO ALIGMENTWITH SAID ORIFICE; AND MEANS OPERATIVE ON TURNING MOTION OF SID CAPAPART INTO AND FROM ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ORIFICE TO LOCK SAID FORMATIONSIN REGISTER WITH EACH OTHER, WHEREBY SAID CAP PART IS HELD PERMANENTLYCAPTIVE ON SAID NECK PART.